Multiple Degree of Freedom Balance Board System

ABSTRACT

A balance board system and associated components incorporating a standard skateboard deck or any other shaped board that allows the user to balance in more than one rotational degree of freedom and can be used on a wide variety of surfaces. The balance board system includes a roller with flexible outer layer, one or more removable stops, and employs the use of a skateboard deck or similar structure as the balance board.

BACKGROUND

Balance boards are devices used to improve balance, motor skills, andoverall coordination. They are increasingly being used in broaderrecreations including strength training, athletic training, therapy, andother kinds of personal development.

Balance board systems typically include an elongated board and pivotdevice, often called a roller. The roller is typically cylindrical inshape. In use, the balance board is positioned on top of the roller andpivots around the circular axis of the cylinder. A prior art balanceboard system typically includes a balance board having a flat bottom,and a rigid roller having a hard outer surface tailored to match and/orfit into the bottom of the board. This tailoring is often accomplishedby either matching the size of the board to the roller, or by using achannel or key-way to engage the balance board with the roller. Anexample of a prior art balance board system is shown in FIG. 1.

In practice, a user will stand on the board on top of the roller and asthe board pivots around the roller, the user will counteract the pivot,keeping the board relatively flat causing the board to move laterallyand causing the roller to roll underneath the board see FIG. 2: PriorArt Balance Board Usage.

Prior art balance board systems include a board that is specific to theroller, such that one balance board will not function properly withanother balance board's roller. As a result, one cannot use a balanceboard on anything other than that balance board's paired roller. Thisincompatibility of competing balance board systems increases the priceof the balance board systems (board and roller) based on the fact thatthe consumer must purchase both the roller and balance board togetherand cannot use some other type of balance board. The interaction of theflat bottomed board and flat, rigid roller limits the prior art balanceboard system to a single axis of rotation which, in turn, restricts theuser to a single rotational degree of freedom (e.g., roll), whenoperating the prior art balance board.

In addition, prior art balance boards using rigid rollers are not wellsuited for use on hard surfaces. A rigid roller has a tendency to slidelaterally instead of rolling on hard surfaces and often requires a pador mat in order grip the floor and prevent it from sliding. This slidinghas the potential to damage the roller or the floor.

Alternatively, if the board is not suited for the roller, the board canslide in relation to the roller having a similar effect to the movementin FIG. 3, whereby the board slides relative to the roller.

There exists one other prior art balance board that focuses balance onthe heel-toe motor movements by using a longer roller and orientatingthe roller parallel to the long dimension of the board. This balanceboard is described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,387,358 B2. The user stands suchthat their feet are perpendicular to the axis of rotation and directlyover top of the roller, such that the user must employ their heel-toemotor skills to counteract a single rotational degree of freedom thatall prior art balance boards employ, but in this balance boardembodiment, the rotational degree of freedom is Pitch.

SUMMARY

This document describes a balance board system that can be used withalmost any style of balance board, though primarily designed to be usedwith skateboard decks (standard sized or longboard). This systemincludes one or more removable stops that can be attached to theunderside of the board. These stops are typically mounted near the endsof the balance board to provide maximum range of motion for the user.

The balance board system of the present invention also includes acylindrical roller having a flexible outer layer. This flexible outerlayer is a key distinguishing factor from the prior art balance boardsand serves at least three purposes. First, the flexible outer layerforms to the shape of the board which allows the roller to be used withvarious balance boards including a standard skateboard deck. Secondly,the flexible outer layer, when combined with a convex skateboard deckintroduces two additional axes of rotation, or rotational degrees offreedom, for which the user can balance. Thirdly, the flexible rollerallows a user to use the balance board system on any type of surface,including hard flooring, and uneven ground.

The details and explanation of the distinguishing factors of thisbalance board system to prior art are set forth in the accompanyingdrawings and detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: Prior Art Balance Board

FIG. 2: Prior Art Balance Board Usage

FIG. 3: Prior Art Balance Board Usage on a Hard Surface

FIG. 4: Standard Skateboard Deck

FIG. 5: Present Invention Roller

FIG. 6: Present Invention Stops

FIG. 7: Present Invention Stops Installation on a Standard SkateboardDeck

FIG. 8: Present Invention Assembly

FIG. 9: Present Invention vs. Prior Art Balance Board

FIG. 10: Rotational Degrees of Freedom

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This document describes a balance board system that solves the problemsof the prior art and provides for improved balance training through theuse of a curved bottom board and a roller with a flexible outer layer.The flexible outer layer allows the roller to be used with variousbalance boards (including a standard skateboard deck), and allows thebalance board system of the present invention to be used on a wide rangeof surfaces including, but not limited to, hard ground and unevenground.

In addition, the balance board system of the present invention maximizesthe user experience by allowing the user to balance in all threerotational degrees of freedom simultaneously. Specifically, the balanceboard system of the present invention enables all three rotationaldegrees of freedom—Roll, Pitch, and Yaw, whereas prior art balanceboards only employ one rotational degree of freedom—‘Roll’ per FIG. 10or ‘Pitch’ in U.S. Pat. No. 9,387,358 B2.

This document describes a balance board system that can be used withalmost any style of balance board, though primarily designed to be usedwith skateboard decks. This document will focus on a standard skateboarddeck, but the invention can be applied or extended to any balance boarddeck construct. A skateboard deck is characterized by having a lengthlonger than its width, with two ends. Each end includes a set of holesfor mounting trucks and wheels. The holes on skateboard decks aregenerally drilled the same width apart (when dividing the board alongits long axis). Skateboards typically have a curved bottom surface whichis intended to increase the bending strength of the board when comparedto a flat board of similar thickness. Skateboard decks are typically 32inches long×8 inches wide×0.5 inches thick, but can vary significantlyin shape and size. See FIG. 4: Standard Skateboard Deck.

The flexible outer layer of the roller of the present invention allowsthe roller to be used with various balance boards including a standardskateboard deck. More specifically, the flexible surface contours andgrips to the curved bottom surface of a skateboard deck (or any otherdeck shape), creating a fully functioning balance board that would notbe possible with prior art rigid rollers. Second, the flexible outerlayer, when paired with a curved bottom surface of a balance board,introduces two additional axes of rotation into the balance board systemof the present invention, thus creating multiple rotational degrees offreedom for the user. To illustrate, using a balance board deck having aconvex bottom surface that engages the flexible outer layer of theroller, a user can roll his/her ankles back and forth in a heel-toemotion creating a first rotational degree of freedom (e.g., “pitch”), inaddition to the rotational degree of freedom that is enabled by pivotingaround the rotational axis of the roller (e.g., “roll”). Additionally,when paired with convex bottom surface skateboard deck, or similarlyshaped boards, the decreased surface area of the rounded board inconjunction with the flexible roller allow for the user to swivel theboard around the roller's vertical axis, introducing a third rotationaldegree of freedom (e.g., ‘Yaw’ See FIG. 9: Present Invention vs. PriorArt Balance Board.

As a result, a user can now balance and control the board across allthree rotational degrees of freedom simultaneously, which greatlyincreases the training intensity of the balance board system of thepresent invention and increases the core functionality of the presentinvention balance board system.

Lastly, the flexible roller allows a user to use the present inventionbalance board system on any type of surface including hard flooring anduneven ground. More specifically, the flexible outer layer essentiallyserves the same function as pad or mat that rigid rollers require tofunction properly on hard surfaces, and provides grip that prevents theroller from sliding laterally on hard surfaces or from sliding inrelation to the board. Prior art rigid rollers have the potential todamage certain floors, the flexible roller of the balance board systemof the present invention also prevents the user from damaging the flooror other surface on which they are balancing.

The combination of the skateboard deck or similar board having a curvedbottom surface, with the flexible roller results in a truly unique userexperience when compared to the experience of a prior art balance board.The ability for the user to practice balance in all three rotationaldegrees of freedom at the same time significantly improves the userexperience and allows the user to improve their balance, motor skills,and overall coordination in a faster and more real-world applicablemanner than any prior art balance board. Real-world applicable manner isthis sense is referring to other board sports for which a user may usethe present invention to train for, such as surfing and snowboarding.

The balance board system of the present invention includes a board, suchas an elongated, rigid board, a roller, such as an elongated tube orcylindrical member, and one or more detachable stops. The board has alength that is longer than its width. However the specifics of the boardshape do not limit the invention, as this balance board system isdesigned to be used with a standard skateboard deck, which is anexisting and common board shape that comes in various sizes, or with anyother similarly shaped board. The roller has a length that isapproximately 2× greater than the diameter of the roller with open orcapped ends. The roller consists of a rigid inner cylinder that istypically hollow (FIG. 5, Item 6), though can be solid as well.Preferably, the cylinder has a minimum outer diameter of 3 inches, withpreferred diameter of 4.3 inches with a minimum wall thickness of 0.3inches, and minimum length of 8 inches, with preferred length of 13inches. The inner cylinder can be made of various rigid materialsincluding, but not limited to ABS plastic, carbon fiber, and wood.Attached to the outside of the rigid inner cylinder is a cylindricallayer of flexible material (FIG. 5, Item 5). This flexible material canbe made of various materials including EVA foam, soft plastic, andrubber, but preferably EVA Foam. This flexible material should haveShore A Hardness, or equivalent durometer scale, in the range of 20 to100, but preferably 75. This outer layer should fit tightly around therigid inner cylinder and must therefore must have dimensions to fit tothe inner cylinder as such. Importantly, this flexible outer layer ofthe roller allows the roller to be compatible with various balance boardshapes.

The detachable stops are designed with holes that match the dimensionsof the skateboard deck holes and are intended to be attached to theoutermost (nearest to the ends of the board) set of two holes to providethe user with maximum range of motion (see attachment locations in FIG.7). Though designed for skateboards and longboard skateboards, a usercan use any board-shaped item with properly sized and spaced holes, orthe user can opt to not use the stops and therefore the board will notneed holes. The stops (FIG. 6) can be made of various flexiblematerials, including, but not limited to polyurethane, rubber, andpolyether, but preferably polyurethane. The stops should have Shore AHardness, or equivalent durometer scale, in the range of 20 to 100, butpreferably 83. The stops have a minimum length (FIG. 6, Item L) of 2inches and can be as long as the selected board is wide or can be widerthan the selected board. The stops have a width (FIG. 6, Item W) of 0.5to 5 inches with preferred width of 1 inch, and height (FIG. 6, Item H)between 0.1 and 3 inches with preferred height of 1 inch. On the topsidedenoted by FIG. 6, Item 7, the stops are curved along the length of thebody, which allows the stops to conform to the convex bottom of standardskateboard decks. The radius of this curvature is slightly less thanthat of standard skateboard decks, which allows the flexibility of thepolyurethane to form the stops tightly up against the bottom curve ofskateboard decks of varying curvatures without leaving a gap on theouter edges. This specific curvature allowing for gap free attachment isnot required for the present invention to function in its full capacity,however it is preferable to secure a better fit for the stops on theboard. The stops have two holes in them (FIG. 6, Item 10), each of 0.21inch diameter. Both holes fully penetrate the top and bottom surface ofthe stops, without tapering. The holes are 1.625 inches apart fromcenter to center, the same distance apart as the skateboard deck holesto which they line up. The set of holes are centered in relation to thetop and bottom faces of the stops. On the bottom face of the stops aretwo hexagon shaped extrusions (FIG. 6, Item 9) centered on the two holespreviously mentioned. The distance between parallel sides of thesehexagon shapes is between 0.3 to 0.4 inches but preferably 0.376 inches.These are designed to grip the hex nuts that thread onto the bolts thathold the stops to the board. The hexagonal extrusions grip the nut,thereby not requiring the consumer to use a socket or crescent wrench toattach the stops to the board. The stops have rounded edges on all sides(FIG. 6, Item 12) except for the edges on the top face which have a flatedge (FIG. 6, Item 13) which allows the top of the stops to rest flat onthe bottom of the board. The stops are mostly hollow with an open topface, though they can also be solid. Shell thickness of the stops isbetween 0.1 inches and 0.3 inches, but preferably 0.2 inches. Inside thestops can be multiple ribs (FIG. 6, Item 11) running along the width ofthe stops. The ribs can vary in thickness from 0.1 to 0.2 inches. Theribs are used to minimize material volume and weight while providingstructural integrity.

The hardware supplied with the present invention balance board systeminvention consists of 4 bolts and 4 nuts. The bolts are 1.25 inches inlength×#10-32 thread pitch. The nuts are #10-32 hex nuts. The hardwareis standard and not pictured.

1. A balance board system comprising: a deck having a longitudinal axis;said longitudinal axis having a first endpoint and a second endpoint;said deck having a first deck section defined as the section of the deckextending between the midpoint of said longitudinal axis and the firstendpoint of said longitudinal axis, and a second deck section defined asthe section of the deck extending between the midpoint of thelongitudinal axis and the second endpoint of such longitudinal axis; afirst flexible stop mounted on said first deck section; a secondflexible stop mounted on said second deck section; and a roller having aflexible outer layer.
 2. A balance board system according to claim 1,wherein the roller has a flexible outer layer with Shore A durometerhardness between 20 and
 100. 3. A balance board system according toclaim 2, wherein the roller has an outer diameter between 3 and 12inches.
 4. A balance board system according to claim 3, wherein the deckis a skateboard deck.
 5. A balance board system according to claim 1,having flexible stops with attachment points spaced approximately 1⅝″apart.
 6. A balance board system according to claim 5 wherein saidattachment points are holes.
 7. A balance board system according toclaim 5 wherein said flexible stops have length between 2 and 12 inches.8. A balance board system according to claim 7 wherein said flexiblestops have a Shore A durometer hardness between 20 and
 100. 9. A balanceboard system according to claim 8 wherein said flexible stops have amounting surface with a radius of curvature greater than 20 inches. 10.A balance board system according to claim 9, wherein the deck is askateboard deck.
 11. A kit for converting an existing skateboard deckinto a balance board system comprising: a first flexible stop adapted tobe mounted on said skateboard deck in replacement of a first set oftrucks and wheels; a second flexible stop adapted to be mounted on saidskateboard deck in replacement of a second set of trucks and wheels; anda roller having a flexible outer layer.
 12. A kit according to claim 11,wherein the roller has a flexible outer layer with Shore A durometerhardness between 20 and
 100. 13. A kit according to claim 12, whereinthe roller has an outer diameter between 3 and 12 inches.
 14. A kitaccording to claim 11 wherein the first flexible stop includesattachment points spaced approximately 1⅝″ apart, and the secondflexible stop includes attachment points spaced approximately 1⅝″ apart.15. A kit according to claim 14, wherein said attachment points on thefirst flexible stop are holes.
 16. A kit according to claim 14, whereinsaid attachment points on the second flexible stop are holes.
 17. A kitaccording to claim 11, wherein the first flexible stop and the secondflexible stop each have length between 2 and 12 inches.
 18. A kitaccording to claim 11, wherein the first flexible stop and the secondflexible stop each have Shore A durometer hardness between 20 and 100.19. A kit according to claim 11, wherein the topside of each flexiblestop has a radius of curvature greater than 20 inches.